The Moon Flower
by Lavenderpaw
Summary: When Rapunzel finds herself in the same predicament as her mother, Flynn vows to find her the legendary Moon Flower, sister plant of the golden Sun Flower. Anna, meanwhile, runs into a witch who gives her a potion that supposedly grants everlasting youth. Now she and Elsa must track down a cure to a curse brought on by this potion... but not without encountering some new friends.
1. Doubts

**I.**

"What if he doesn't like me?" She asked him as she peered up into his face.

Eugene smiled gently and placed his hand along her enlarged stomach. "How'd you know it's a boy?" he asked. Rapunzel looked down at her hand, absorbed in memories she dare not relay.

His other hand found hers and she looked up into his eyes as he was inches away.

"It's going to be okay," he assured her again. "Besides, she'll have my good looks!"

Rapunzel gave him a deadpan look.

"And your..." he touched her shoulder-length curls, "Beautiful, chestnut locks."

"Nice save," she scrunched her nose briefly. "But there's something in me that says something's going to go wrong." Rapunzel confessed and stood up from her intricately-painted wood chair.

"What can I do?" Eugene motioned desperately. "Could I... could I get you a glass of water? I-um, I could go your mother and she could... well, do mother things, oh! I could get the Doula."

Hook-Hand Thug suddenly appeared in the doorway. "They wouldn't let me be the doctor."

Eugene cleared his throat and jerked his head in the direction of the hall.

"No," Rapunzel sat down on the railing outside in the sunlight and looked out longingly.

"I'm... not following you. These last nine months you've been fine," As he said this he went to sit with her and take her chin, directing her green eyes to his golden ones, "What's going on now?"

She smiled limply and then peered down outside in the courtyard.

"It's occurred to me ever since I've felt him moved." Rapunzel looked up. "Eugene, I don't have my mother with me." He was instantly appalled. "I know, I'm horrible!" she stood up and strode away from him before whipping back around. "But she's the only thing I've known for years, she was the closest thing to the outside world I had besides Pascal." she looked down at the sleepy lizard who popped his eyes open. "I know what she did and what she planned on doing, but..."

"But what?" He asked unknowingly.

She looked up with tears in her eyes at him. "What if what she said was true?"

"No!" Eugene said vindictively and rushed up to her now, "No," he lowered his voice and his face softened, "Rapunzel, I know you're scared that you can't take care of yourself but it's not like that anymore." He took her hands and smiled. "You're stronger then what you were before and even then you were a force to be reckoned with." She laughed a little and fell into his arms.

He caught her chin again and tilted her head up. "I _know _this is going to work out. You'll see."

She closed her eyes as he tucked her head under his own chin.

"You'll see," he whispered and closed his own eyes.

To be continued...

**A/N: **Part 2 will be Elsa and Anna's turn. ;)


	2. Would you like a birthday gift?

**I.**

_Two months after the events in Frozen..._

"So, whaddya think?"

Elsa turned to examine the two bracelets lying in her sister's hands.

She shifted her cobalt eyes up uneasily.

Anna, forever grinning, held them up on either side of her face as she explained, "Kristoff and I found these Puka shells down by the sandy part of the harbor, or how about these, they've got Runestone..."

"Anna," She took them both in only one hand and held them up under the skylights she had created for the castle ballroom; constantly having to be iced over. "I hope you haven't been out in the mountains."

"With Kristoff." Her sister said as she rolled her eyes to the left, fingers laced.

"They're beautiful, An, but let's get serious for a moment..." she handed them back to Anna. "If we're going to plan our parties together, we need to have a vision..." her porcelin hands shot up as she turned her back to invision a dual celebration. "I was thinking... purple, and blue? They're still your favoites?"

"You remembered?" Anna said hopefully.

"Of course!" Elsa turned to her with a smile. "It's your party, too. But... let's not do ice for a change."

The princess's orange brow lifted. "No ice, Queen?" she cupped her hips.

"Ha, ha, very funny." She turned to another part of the ballroom and examined the vaulted-ceiling-high windows. "What do you think of velvet and silk in those colors for the drapes? All in various accents..."

"I'm getting a vision..." Anna massaged her temples semi-seriously. Else looked at her in concern. Her sister pranced around and spoke in a deep, swami-like voice, "I see a fire theme, _yes!_" She was exalted in her appraisal, framing everything through her fingers. "I see... palm trees! A tropical luau. Olaf not invited. Maybe Kristoff can be a flame juggler and Sven a fire eater." She giddily kept rattling off her ideas to her increasingly piqued-looking sister; finally her fingers stopped on Elsa. "You in barkcloth."

"Anna, enough! No Puka shells, no luau, whatever that is," she said in an aside, "And no..."

"Kristoff in loincloth."

Elsa leaned back and blinked. Anna raised her brow again, this time for a different reason.

They both smirked at each other knowingly.

"Where can we start?"

"Yee!" Anna threw herself into Elsa's arms. The woman caught her younger sister happily.

"Hey," she held her at arm's length and touched her chin, "It's your party, too. I must remember that."

"Do you want a birthday gift?" Anna inquired.

Elsa was stymied from answering right away when Kristoff appeared inside of the enormous but oddly doorless entryway. "A-mm. Excuse me, ladies, but the designers are here. They'd like to speak to your Majesty." He bowed his head a little at Elsa. She switched her gaze over at a suddenly nervous Anna.

"Oh, stop that." She swatted playfully at her. "You know I'll love whatever you give me." Elsa pulled up her light white and blue casualwear gown and nodded at the two of them as she rushed off. "Oh," It was then that she remembered something. "And Anna," she turned back pointedly. "Please stay out of the mountains, even _with _Kristoff." Her sharp gaze warned him as well as her flat tone. "If Anna wants to go do fun ice and snow-related activites up there, I'd prefer she be with us both _and _the royal guard."

"Permit me to inquire, your Majesty."

Elsa folded her hands and nodded graciously, a smile hinted on her face. "Inquiry permitted."

"It doesn't still have something to do with the trolls, does it? You know, fellow magic-bearing folk who either delve out ill-fated sorcery or advised against, um, pemitting it to be known..." Elsa immediately raised her eyebrows at Anna, who winced back. "Not that... um, I still have ties to them, or anything."

The Queen's shoulders dropped. "Anna, I love you, but I wish you wouldn't be so afraid to tell me how you really feel... I mean, going through Kristoff-," Curious onlookers appeared back a ways, leaning in warily sideways. "Uh... just a minute." Elsa held up a finger and then smiled patiently yet prudently at her sister. "Anna, no mountains. No trolls. Just... focus on that luau thing and I'll see what can..." A sly twist at the ends of her smile caused Kristoff to raise his blonde brows. "Or _can't _be arranged. Okay?"

"Okay," Anna agreed and stifled a giggle.

Elsa maintained a perfect balance of regality, good humor and foxiness all at the same time. She left.

"_She_... is not like you in any way, shape or form." Kristoff came to the conclusion on his own.

"She's my sister." Anna concluded for herself.

"So are we taking Sven or would the small fjord horses your sister got the two of you work?"

Kristoff added that last part, hoping to deter her. He grinned in anticipation at her surprise.

"A horse!?" Anna's face tightened up. "Who ever heard of a girl riding a horse?"

Olaf approached them. "What about a horse? They eat carrots, they stink, they're dirty..."

"Olaf, have you ever heard of a girl riding on horseback?"

"Nope! Sounds like a primitive concept to me, seeing as how the female is the superior species."

Anna looked up at Kristoff and then down at Olaf. "_Gender,_" she whispered.

"Bless you."

"Speaking of which, Elsa didn't give you her _blessing._"

An expression of pain crossed Anna's face.

"Oh..." He remembered. Olaf glared up at him, cupping his hips. "Anna, I didn't-,"

"No, it's okay." She gave him a masking smile. "I'll just... go take a bath or something."

"Don't conceal your feelings, Anna." He started to say again. "Remember, you taught Elsa that."

Anna gave him another smile. "I'm fine." she insisted and headed out of the ballroom.

"Wait! Remember, you've ridden a horse before. Uh, uh, hey! I just told you what Elsa got you. Uh-oh... you shouldn't know about that!

Olaf trailed up to the man. "Hmm, ya ever get the feeling she's going to make a run for it?"

His face tugged up to the side in a frown. "That's why we're staking the castle out tonight... but don't let the guards in on it. The last thing Anna and Queen Elsa need is another scandal. Are the horses inside?"

"No, why?"

"Because something smells gassy..."

"Well, maybe it's the bathroom."

Kristoff looked down at him expressionlessly. "Indoor plumping usually includes a door of some type."

"Heh-heh... yeah." Olaf gestured with his stick arm. "Usually."

The Royal Ice Transporter, who had his arms folded seriously, felt his eyes pop out comically.

…

Anna looked down at the two bracelets in her hands longingly. She just _had _to find the right gift for her sister. There was no way she was ever going to match her sister's access to their parents' assets, so she had to try harder. What was the one eternally meaningful thing she could get Elsa that symbolized their sisterhood? True love could warm a frozen heart, so maybe true passion could reignite past flames, too.

She smiled to herself when she thought of how she was going to bring them closer.

"The trolls," The woman said.

They would have the magical knowledge she required.

To be continued...

**A/N: **It's going to get a little darker gradually, so don't worry. ;)


	3. Of risks and ruses: Pt 1 of 2

**I.**

_That night..._

Anna peered out the curtain of her bedroom. The torches burning a deep ruse that gave the hall an eerie feel revealed no one but the evenly-aligned giant portraits cast in a lowlight glow. Sighing to herself in both relief and a bit of guilt at being sneaky, Anna pulled the violet-colored velvet drapes back in place.

"Okay," she placed one of Krisoff's scrolls open on a big desk. "According to this map, I can find some mountain trolls living on Mount Arendelle." Her whispers seemed to draw the attention of a long, gray shadow moving just outside. "They're not the Valley trolls, but Mount Arendelle is only like three hours outside of the kingdom." She picked some silvery dust out of a small, strung pouch and blew it across a geographical map of Arendelle and the mountains. Next, Anna lit a match in the dark shadows that also lit up her hesistant face, leaned forward over the parcel and blew the flame so that it could expand out.

A clear route that looked like red bricks indicated her way out of the castle and then through the forest.

"Anna?" Someone slid the curtain aside.

"Oh!" She turned swiftly and the sparkling map vanished in a huff.

"What are you doing?" Elsa smiled as she raised her hand and an aura of glittering white appeared.

"Oh, just..." Anna quickly scrambled to hide the scrolls and books under her red-draped table. "I'm just brushing up on a little Arendelle history..." The Queen gave her an odd look. "Oh yeah, I'm an expert."

Elsa smirked good-naturedly. "Oh, whatever it is, I'm sure I can figure it out as we go."

"Go? Go where?" Her puzzled sister inquired as Elsa dragged her out of her room and into the hall.

"Shh. It's a surprise." She paused only a second to place her finger to her fushia-tinged lips before she continued to drag her little sister out into the main hall, through the ballroom, past their gigantic study, through the elegant but dark dining hall, through the marble-topped and gild-panelled kitchen, all the way out to the wide expanse of empty stalls that formed a neat rectangle. Anna eyed them all uneasily.

"The horses are missing," she mentioned.

"All but two," Elsa grinned her way as entered the second-to-last stall at the top left line of stalls. She returned from the ominous stable with a large tan parka embroidered with purple and pink flowers. Her sister's eyes grew wide, as if all her hopes and dreams had been realized. Elsa produced a corduroy-like brown riding helmet. "You'll need to keep warm." She closed her eyes and placed only a black one on.

"I don't believe this..." Anna said in a stunned, quiet voice, "I don't _BELIEVE _this! We, you and me, as two sisters, are _actually _going HORSEBACK RIDING?! I can't believe this. Every girl should do this."

"Shh," Elsa clasped her mouth, her dark blue eyes and voice were suddenly firm, "Why do you think I ordered Kristoff to have the guards take their horses out and guard only _certain _ parts of the castle?" It was with that revelation Anna caught on, "Ooooh." Elsa smiled. "Now let's go have some sisterly fun."

The Queen disappeared inside again only to emerge with two small, but robust tannish-white horses.

"Oh, wow, yeah..." Kristoff had let it slip to Anna just that evening after Elsa had left. "Wow," she had to hold onto her stomach, the smell of the two mares was a little strong. "I'm so hungry all of a sudden I could just about..." Elsa raised a brow her way. "Get on this horse and stop questioning everything, El."

"I've named my Gracie, and yours is partial to Idina."

"Oh..." She looked down at '_Idina'. _Elsa tilted her head in concern and shot of spark of snow at her tiny nose. "Hey!" Anna looked up as she tried to swat it off. She was sparked again and ended up laughing.

"Two for flinching," Elsa chuckled. "Now, we're going to stay together and ride just like you've been practicing all the way to Mount Arendelle and back." Anna's eyes grew wide again. "I haven't always been a stick in the mud, Anna." Elsa reminded her. "I used to be a little fun, too." She uncovered what appeared to be a large blue crossbow with dark chrome interior and a silver steel plate on it's front face.

"You're into archery now?" Anna asked.

Elsa shrugged, fitting her dangerous-looking weapon on a brown leather brace on her arm, "It's a little more that, Anna." she looked at her obviously. The Queen held her arm up confidently, produced a big icicle without a shred of doubt – Anna noticed in awe – and shot at long-range to impale a stack of hay sitting at the very back of the stable adjacent to their own. The Princess gaped at her sister, impressed.

"Shall we?" Elsa picked up her reigns and gave them a snap. Gracie bolted off into the night.

Anna stalled only for a moment before grinning excitedly and snapping the reigns on Idina. The sturdy mare snapped her into place and then took off in a rush. They took the star-lit path Anna knew Elsa had memorized by heart. So maybe the greatest gift Anna could give Elsa could wait until morning at least.

**II.**

_In Corona... _

"What's wrong with her?"

A royal, male nurse placed a damp cloth over Rapunzel's forehead.

"Is she sick?!" Eugene tried to bypass the medical personel and reach for his wife.

"Give her some more leeches, help sterilize the wound..." The doctor ordered.

"Wound?!" After practically ripping green-and-gold-robed nurses back, Eugene finally managed to make it to Rapunzel's side. She looked up at him with a sallow, sweat-streaked face and her tangled brown hair messily swept over it. "W-what happened to you?" he took her hand in his. "Rapunzel?"

"Hook-Hand..." She breathed raspily. "He was just trying to give me a bath, and-and he punctured..."

"WHAT?!" Now Eugene was enraged. He noted the streak of red coloring the white sheet over her.

"It's not that." The bespeckled doctor interceded on her behalf and stepped in front of the former thief.

"Then what is it?" He ignored the nursemaid thug that shuffled out of the room. "What's causing this?"

"It seems her wound has ripped open a hole to her magic."

"_What?_" Eugene tried asking again, trying to understand him through his apparent insanity.

"Her body has latent healing properities in it still, the magic of her hair, of that _flower, _still resides deep within, Eugene." The man blinked his golden eyes and looked down in shock. "The magic can heal all those around her, but it can't heal the bearer of the magic. But, as legend has it, there is another flower."

"I don't have time for these foolish games!" He dismissed him gruffly. Eugene walked over and gently took Rapunzel's hand in his own again. "We're _dying. _My child is dying too and if I lost either one, I-,"

"Shh." Rapunzel placed her finger on Eugene's lips as his voice cracked. "We don't know that for sure."

"Rapunzel, you're injured. Your magic is working against you and you'll, you'll die. Oh Lord, you'll die unless we get you help." He bit on his fingernails. "There's gotta be a way," The man turned away now.

"Flynn..."

"There's gotta be a way!" He croaked.

The King and Queen suddenly rushed in to their daughter's side.

"It's too late," Eugene told them. Rapunzel gazed up at him weakly. "She's dying, God, she's dying."

"Now listen!" The doctor grabbed him and shook his shoulders. "Legend has it that in the distant land of Arendelle, there is a second flower created specifically to counteract the first." When he said this the younger man listened to him more willingly. "It is said to be created by the moon." Eugene relaxed his muscles and the doctor released him, still serious, "It is said to be on the mountain of the same name, a small but thriving mountain with lush growth, guarded by trolls _twenty feet tall._" Everyone waited for him to continue on bated breath. "At the top of the mountain is an isolated garden, the Eden of Solv."

When Eugene looked down to absorb this, Maximus appeared behind him. Pascal blinked atop the horse's head and jumped down to the foot of Rapunzel's bed, only to scamper up and rest with her.

"You shouldn't go alone," The Queen of Corona stated as she rose from her daughter's bedside and came to stand beside her son-in-law. "Take Maximus, and some of the royal guard with you, son."

They turned to Rapunzel's father. He looked at them with gloomy eyes and peered down sadly at his ailing daughter; it wasn't just his renewal of his vow of silence from eighteen years earlier. The King literally could not speak after nearly two decades of silence. That's when the realization hit them all.

"Arendelle is a five-week voyage by sea." Eugene spoke matter-of-factly.

The Queen gasped and buried her face. "No," she whispered.

"There is another way." The doctor approached them both and held something up by a silver chain that looked like double helix staircases. Inside was a thin bar contraption that looked to be a penny whistle.

"What is that, an amulet-less necklace?" Eugene brought his hand up so it would rest in his palm.

"This is the Silver navkåpan Zilver Spinner, or, as we would put it... Silver Spinner."

"What will it do?" The man held it up by it's chain, examining in preparation.

The doctor was just as serious as he explained. "Pull out a lock of your hair, place it into the Spinner's thin, silver chamber and twist the necklace counterclockwise three times. It is then critical, my boy, for you to invision the place you wish to be most: Mount Arendelle. Visualize yourself there, boy, finding a lush, beautiful garden with a single, silver flower sparkling in it." Something tugged on Eugene's locks.

He didn't even realize his eyes were closed. The doctor was slowly smiling as he placed the strand in.

"Eugene." Rapunzel mustered all the strength she could to speak.

"Invision, my son, a place where you could go to escape all your troubles..."

"All my troubles," he mumbled.

"Imagine, a place with new opprotunites. A place where new dreams come true, far, far away..."

"New dreams..." Eugene smiled slightly. "New places..." The Silver Spinner was cranked into place.

"EUGENE!" Rapunzel screamed. It was the last of her energy, she fell haplessly against the bed.

"Rapunzel?" The man said.

"She's dead."

His golden eyes flew open. "NO!"

"Bring me the flower," The doctor's teeth were yellow and crooked as he practically growled what he said next. His eyes burned icy blue and his oily black hair whitened. "Rapunzel is mine, her leaking magic will keep me alive." Eugene looked frantically around, the nurses except for the one who had kindly placed the cold press on Rapunzel's head waited silently. "But not for long," his hair suddenly bunched out long and tangled. "Get me that silver flower and _maybe _I'll spare her parents." Mother Gothel held out a long sword to the cowering parents. Maximus charged at the woman in pure fury.

Pascal tried to catch her arm with his tongue, but Gothel grabbed it and chopped it off at the base.

Maximus froze, petrified by the mutilation and a bleeding out Rapunzel.

Eugene also stared in horror at the sight of his dead wife and then over to his terrorified in-laws.

"Don't make the mistake of keeping me waiting," Gothel snarled and tossed the necklace at him.

He fumbled for it. Maximus rushed to his aid, not understanding if this silver thing would do more harm. Pascal tied a knot in his bleeding tongue and hopped into a quickly evaporating silver funnel. Mother Gothel advanced on the King and Queen. She admired her lifeless, adopted daughter for a couple of seconds, knelt down by the wound she had caused by bumping into Hook-Hand (her role being the good doctor, of course) and slid her hands into the runny, golden fountain trickling out of Rapunzel's stomach. Her parents watched out of mortification as the woman drank the golden blood.

She sucked on each finger indivdually.

"Needs Solv."

…

As the wicked woman left the room with her faux nurses, after pouring herself a full goblet, Rapunzel's parents raced to their daugther's side. The only actual royal nurse came to her other side to examine her clinically and grabbed the nearest thing he could to stop the bleeding – Pascal's tongue. As he worked to try and wrap it around her pelvic area, her mother sat down and hurriedly sang the sun flower's ode just as Rapunzel had taught her. Her green eyes were tense when suddenly Rapunzel exhaled. Touching her heart, the King and Queen looked at each other and started stroking their daughter's brunette locks.

"If Flynn Rider gets back in time, we may have a chance. Until then... we need an opposing magical source. Even a residual one." The scrawny-robed nurse turned to the mother, as did the King. She was already well aware of what she needed to do. "I'll get the leeches," he turned his back to get the bucket.

The King touched her cheek in question, his own eyes imploring her to see reason.

"I know you could lose us both," She answered his wordless question, "But what choice do we have?"

The Queen looked down at their daughter and he did as well; but not before looking back up at her.

To be continued...

**A/N: **Oh, what? You think I'm that coldhearted? ^^ It creeped me out too writing it. But if all goes according to plan, it should get interesting from here on out. Be sure to look for future chapters soon.

~ Lavenderpaw ~


	4. Of risks and ruses: Pt 2 of 2

**I.**

The thunder of the horses' hooves were still defeaning through the well-worn snowy path Anna had taken during her riding lessons; though being a natural when it came to animals didn't seem to hurt her either. She glanced over at her sister, who seemed to be riding her mare with just as much ease as she did, and received an exhilerated grin then. She grinned back and the two pushed their living, breathing birthday gifts to go that much faster now.

Anna gasped in real exertion after about thirty minutes or so.

"Geez!" She wilted against the snorting animal's white mane. "Could you make our trail any _more _rugged?" Elsa gave her a withering look and used a single finger to cause a big pile of snow to fall on Anna from a low-hanging branch. She rode on by her quite regally.

"How's that?" Elsa grinned as her sister glared at her underneath the thick powder.

"I forgot how mischevious you can be," she admitted, shaking herself off.

"Heh-heh." Elsa touched her dark pink lips. "You look like drowned cat."

"Or a piqued fox." She gave another shake. "Eh-ah!" Her fingers sprawled outward.

"Oh-ho ho. Don't be too hard on yourself. If anyone asks, you're Olaf's new flame." The older sister curled her own fingers in like claws and meowed seductively. Anna leapt off Irina at that and smirked as she gathered up a handful of the white stuff. Elsa frowned in disapproval. "I'm sorry I was a bit of a pain, but I'm the only one who should be throw-,"

Her sister nailed her in the chest. She looked down in surprise and then back up.

"Are you just going to stare at me?" Anna tossed another snowball in the air and caught it effortlessly. "Or are we going to get around to making a snowman?" The alabaster-haired woman smiled good-naturedly and scooped up a handful of snow herself, ready for Anna.

Something made Elsa freeze up then; something Anna had never seen before.

"Elsa?" She grew concerned at the familiar and yet different look of fear on her face.

"ANNA!" She screamed, her voice pierced like ice and demanded her absolute attention.

Only a low rumble made the younger woman turn slowly around to see the cause of all the trouble. The horses whinnyed and began sidestepping away as an unseen presence leered out of the darkness. Wolf, Anna mouthed to herself. Elsa watched the scene with a sober glare as the night's stars seemed to dim into the shadowy background. The trees felt like towering guards and the air grew thick, Anna was acutely aware that no animals were out, for they made no noise and even the nonexistant wind grew stiller. Everything froze.

Suddenly the gold of the predator's eyes gave it away and Elsa took aim with the weapon Anna recalled her strapping on. Her serious cobalt eyes lightened a little as she shrugged her eyebrows wryly to the side. "Oh," Anna said and ducked behind her sister, but even that small ambience did not diminish the tension. Elsa took accurate aim again and fired.

The wolf was impaled through the chest..

"Anna," She glanced over her shoulder momentarily, "There's more of them. Far more. I'm not sure how many, but I need you to duck for cover behind the trees. Things are going to get icy pretty fast." Her sister attempted to argue. "I don't need you distracting me or influencing my powers; I need you safe, An." she added, the wolves materialized from the shadows. There had to be at least ten of them and their numbers kept swelling.

"Let me help," Anna insisted, "I stopped them once. We could work as a team..."

"Anna, this isn't up for negoitation!" Elsa told her firmly. "If my powers are netrualized by my love for you, than I can't protect you." She hastened to say. "It's _because _I love you that I need to be away from you sometimes. I can stop them in one blitz if my passion is weak. I don't have a frozen heart, but sometimes some serenity helps with concertration."

"ELSA!"

"RUN, HIDE!" Her sister screamed back at her as the wolves pounced.

Anna did as she was told and scrambled away as Elsa faced the ensuing pack. The Queen inhaled deeply and exhaled a breath of icy death that shot the hoary creatures into instant suspended animation, her mouth hanging open like a mad yeti. Her sister stumbled and fell through the frost and ice-covered underbrush until she wound up at the curve of a new path... it was a path of trees turned upside down that were evenly spaced out along a roping road that Anna saw could go on forever. She blinked, hugging herself, as the stars seemed to brighten like a vast, endless array of little personal beacons; signalling to Anna something for her upon the horizon. The young woman curiously started over towards it.

"Hello, dearie," A woman in a dark blue-hooded shawl approached her, "Running with the wolves, I hear?" She chuckled in a deep voice. "Likely as not you've been thrown to them in the past, your sister retaining some of her old domineering tendencies, I assume?"

"How did you know that? Are you a physic?" Anna asked cautiously.

"Heh-heh! No. Anyone within a thirty-foot radius would still go deaf from all your noise."

"Oh," She looked off to the side, but not out of embarrassment.

The old hag inclined her hooded head. "She doesn't really treat you as her equal, hmm?"

"She's all right." Anna realized what the woman was really saying and said in defense of her sister. "She's just protecting me." The Princess realized this wasn't a satisfying reply.

"Spoiling you really," Iced blue eyes leered at her from within the hood, "Isn't there just a tiny part of you who wishes she was as confident in you as you are in her?" The woman was enticing in her words. "Just, a fraction of your overheated heart that wants a little recognition for once instead of the - beg The Queen's pardon - cold shoulder. Or, as you've seen of recently, an equal partnership when it comes to making all the plans, arrangements and decisions?" Anna stopped in mid-consideration. "First-in-line not withstanding, dearie. Honestly, I would think she'd _want _her brave little sis's input."

"You beat me to the punch," she had to admit, grinning slightly.

"I usually do." The woman responded, holding herself up certainly.

"You remind me a little of Elsa."

Yellow teeth gleamed in the shadowy shawl, "I'm sure I'm nothing like her, because unlike your dear sister, I'll be giving you what you want. Something to make you two even closer than you..." she stifled a chuckle. "Already are. Your party is tomorrow?"

Anna nodded.

"Drink this," She pulled out a tiny, prong-earred vial from her shawl in deep red.

"What is it?" The woman inquired.

"Essence of Solv, of course, or Silver Mountain flower, whichever you prefer."

Anna remained unconvinced.

"It'll _Solv _all your problems," she literally clutched her sides, "LITERALLY."

"Shhh." She said in response to her laughter.

"Sorry."

"It's only a legend," Anna told her, but took the item anyhow. "Besides, we're forbidden-,"

"Uh. Uh. Uh." She waggled a wrinkly finger. "Only your _parents _forbade it."

"I'm sure Elsa would if she had the chance." Her murmur brought the old hag glee.

"Well, than you have nothing to lose as long as you keep your lips _zipp-ta!" _The woman's lips popped on the last syllable, she ran her fingers across them at the same time. "Just, keep it a secret. The longer you live, the longer you have to make your presence known."

"Immortality?" Anna whispered. "You're just _giving _it to me?"

"Anna!" Her sister called. The woman gasped and turned, clutching the potion close.

"I'm not long for this world, dearie," the hag explained as she backed away. "Take care of yourself, Anna." she turned on her heel into the thickening brush, "And lest we slip our tongues, here is an incentive to keep us quiet. 'Cold as once was the heart of ice, now is the wrath of lover's vice. Restore thine warmth lost in fading gold, now with the silver floral that I hold.' " When Anna looked back, the old hag was gone. She inhaled sharply.

"There you are," A gentle voice said.

Anna turned around again only to be engulfed in her sister's hug. She exhaled, startled.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you off like that," she leaned back. "I _do _need you, An."

The sister trembled at Elsa's cold touch to her cheek.

"Are you okay?" She spoke again.

"Yes, but-,"

"Shh." Elsa cupped her mouth. A loud yell that came from above the treeline made the entire forest shudder. "Come on, let's get back to the castle. It'll take us an hour at best."

"But-,"

"I know you wanted to ride to Mount Arendelle, but it's not safe." The Queen gazed upon her little sister with loving apology. "I'm sorry, again, I shouldn't have brought you here."

Anna let the moments of silence drag by and then hung her head submissively.

"You're right, it's too dangerous." She looked up. "I forgive you, though."

That seemed to be what Elsa wanted to hear and so she hugged her again with a smile.

"Sorry for the wolf-killings, I know how you feel about animals."

"S'kay." Anna shrugged and smiled meekly.

"Okay," Elsa took her hand and they hurried through the forest. "Half an hour on horse."

Her sudden cheeriness did little to raise Anna's spirits.

"I'll get you another horse..." Anna shook her head. "OK?"

"Let's just go." Her sister took the lead.

"Whatever you say." Elsa hurried after her, confused.

Another moment passed.

"Where'd you get that vile?"

"Found it," Anna replied.

"All right, we're getting nowhere at this speed."

Elsa caught her hand again and blasted the two back with her snow powers.

...

The hooded-hag leaned against an overturned tree trunk with one hand, shaking her head.

"Teenagers, they're all the same." She scoffed with a smile.

Another loud roar made her jump just slightly and grasp a glinting necklace to her heart.

She vanished.

...

There was a blitz of silver light in the starry sky and then a figure popping in the air let it be known that the source was much, much closer to earth. A stunned, shiny fox covered in the exact same color pawed helplessly at the sky before collasping on the soft ground.

"Oh... oh, my smolder." He rose to his feet and looked down at his left paw. "Oh, hey! I found it." Eugene looked closer. "Wait a minute... is this a, paw?" his honey-hued eyes bugged out instantly. "Wait..." he looked down at himself. "I'm... some kind of ferret?.!"

It dawned on him then.

"Oh, perfect!" Eugene griped. "Oh, well. Now where's this silver flower so I can get-,"

He examined his paw again after he had walked a few steps.

"Snow?" He turned to face the mountain in the distance. The fog had cleared enough from the peak so that he could make out overturned treetrunks leading up to and on it.

"Where's the lush, flowered-filled..." He folded his ears back. "Of course! I _actually _believed the wicked witch who potentially just ended my wife's life and is currently holding my in-laws hostage..." Eugene bowed his head and sighed in memory. It was right now, at this moment, that they needed him. He had to save Rapunzel's parents.

"How, I ask you, HOW am I suppose to find a silver flower, as a silver ferret, with this defective silver necklace," he draped it over one paw, "In this unholy frozen wasteland!"

There was suddenly another silver blitz, Eugene looked up and Maximus landed on him.

"Maximus?" His voice was muffled. The horse quirked his head to the side and stood.

He turned around and around as a silver thing hung out of his butt. "Maximus? Maassx?"

The steed didn't seem to know where to look.

"Wow, if this was only a costume, it'd _still _be awkward and uncomfortable."

There was a pop and Pascal was on top of him. Max grunted at him in question. The tiny lizard glanced over and pointed over to his right. Max grunted in question again. Pascal opened his mouth and discovered his tongue was gone. They cringed back. When their stuck chum started groaning impatiently some more, the two pals looked at one another decisively and Maximus neighed at him. Pascal opened his mouth, reminding his friend.

"I hope you both aren't thinking what I think you're thinking."

Max rolled his eyes, noticed a drift of snow and beamed. Pascal nodded once.

"Wait, what, what are you doing?" Eugene asked as the horse readied himself.

The horse flung himself down, rump first. It probably wasn't the best idea.

All three tumbled down - with Eugene the fox being mercifully freed - and free fell all the way down to the bank. First Maximus landed face first, then Eugene (face first of course) and then finally Pascal. A pair of passing nostrils flared at their backs before leaning backto reveal a man riding a reindeer. Maximus looked up and made eye contact with what he assumed had to be the biggest deer on earth. The stag shook his antlers and trotted away.

"Come on, Sven, I knew those girls were up to no good. We gotta find'em before sun up."

A passing, three-orbed creature had Maximus further mesmerized. His nostrils flared at the scent of the carrot and he licked his lips. Pascal popped up and Max motioned for the lizard to snatch him the quick snack. His pal half shut his eyes and opened his mouth up.

Max grunted. 'Oh. Yeah.'

The horse tried a different approach as the snowman pulled out his nose and hid it behind his back. "A silver flower? Hey! We're looking for that too, wait, wait, no we aren't. What were actually looking for is two girls, have ya seen them?" Maximus shook his big head.

"Oh."

"Olaf, come on. We're burning moonlight."

"Hmm." The snowman looked over his shoulder at his friends. "Hey! We're heading in the direction of the silver flower, maybe we can hit two girls with one silver snowball."

Pascal gave him a 'Watch it' look.

Maximus snorted on him and nodded to Olaf.

"Oh, neat! Hey, why don't you bring your friend along, too? Maybe he'll be interested in seeing the silver flower just like you two." Max closed his teeth around the disoriented fox's tail tip, snapped the snow off of him and draped him across his rump. "Ooo. Ooo. If we don't each find what we're looking for, maybe we can all make snowforts afterwards."

Eugene groaned.

Maximus indicated for Pascal to wake him. Irritated, the lizard blisteringly opened his mouth. The horse shook out his mane. He got it. Maximus then grunted at the snowman.

"Hmm? Oh, no I prefer summer. You'll get used to the snow though. There's lots of it."

Eugene only groaned louder as the four of them were headed off toward Mt. Arendelle.

To be continued...


	5. Snow doubt about it

**I.**

_Arendelle..._

Maximus panted heavily as they approached yet another snow drift; the white steed was sure they were going in circles when the edge of a tree-lined road came into view. Olaf, the creature's name he recalled, came to stand up beside him. He was perfectly at home.

"There it is," the snowman gestured towards the storm cloud-shrouded peak. "The one and only Mount Arendelle. Make sure you have protection against blizzards, wolves and trolls. In the event you encounter any of these, be sure you brought your own shovel, for the blizzard to build a shelter, for the wolves to bury your mess, and for the trolls to dig your own grave as you wouldn't last five seconds with a fully grown one. Any questions?"

The horse and chamelon turned agape looks to him as he turned to smile to them amiably.

Max brustled his lips.

"Tour guide? Oh, well, I..."

"Olaf," Kristoff rode over to him. "Why don't you and your new friends hang on a minute, as soon as I make a quick deal we'll go up to the mountain. Just... try not to wander off."

"What about Anna and Elsa?"

The man turned his head to the side and then looked down at him. "It'll just take a sec."

When Maximus and Pascal turned, they saw no one in the shadows. Max snifffed in the air but the cold winter breeze irritated his nose. He pawed at it miserably, wishing for a tuft of grass or an apple to nibble on. It was hard to work on in empty stomach. _Guglhga._

He straightend up in a flash and looked down; it was an empty, _gurgling _stomach.

Pascal tapped the back of his ear and motioned over at Olaf. The horse switched his eyes on him. Olaf's mouth twitched. "Hey! I know where some water is, you must be thirsty..."

Max smacked his lips again and motioned his head in Kristoff's direction.

"He'll never miss us," the snowman waved carelessly at the shadowy forest and led the two away. Pascal and Maximus looked at each other, shrugged and then followed him.

...

"Are you alone?"

"I'm not in the company of someone who will rat you out, if that's what you mean."

"Do you have it?" The shawl-hooded person looked up critically.

"I don't know why you like this stuff so much," Kristoff pulled out a small tan hide sack and tossed it to the person; who caught it singlehandedly. "It's just silver residue from the Mountain flower the trolls guard." he frowned at the side of his mouth, clearing his throat.

"Hmm?"

Kristoff tilted his head forward persuaively, smiling out of the corner of his mouth now.

"Oh, all right!" She tossed him another strewn up tan bag. He caught it in one hand with not so much as a glance. "Why you like carrots so much, I will never know. Now be off!"

"They're not for me," Kristoff smiled widely and stroked Sven along the neck as he came up to sniff the handful of thick carrot cuts in his left gloved hand. "They're for my buddy, here. Sven." The shawled figure wordlessly mocked Kristoff by quickly mouthing his last sentence. "Y'know, there's this old legend that Essense of Solv can grant everlasting life."

"Oh, imagine that." Lusty ice blue eyes never left the bag.

"Well, I'll see ya around next time."

"Kristoff." The woman said as he turned to leave in a deep voice.

"Yes?" He turned.

"I will no longer require your squalor services." She flourished her shawl and walked off.

"Eh, story of my life." He shrugged. Sven frowned down at him. "Well, it's the truth." The man looked up at the mountain. The reindeer gulped slightly. "Yeah, I remember the last time that we... uh, no one ever told the girls giant mountain trolls live up there, did they?"

Sven shook his head.

"ANNA!" There was no time to collect Olaf, the newt, horse and weasel. He had to hurry.

...

Maximus, Pascal, Olaf and a still-passed-out Eugene arrived at a lake... it was frozen. The horse and lizard looked over at Olaf incredulously. He smiled up at them with absolutely no idea what was wrong. A few seconds passed and he rubbed his snowy chin in thought.

"OH... you wanted to _drink _it, oh there presents a problem..." Olaf wandered off.

The horse smacked his dry lips thirstily.

Pascal grunted and indicated the feed sack around Max's neck. The horse licked his chops and eagerly nosed into it. There was nothing. Pascal looked up from where he had slipped into the bag and the two shared a forlorn look. The horse looked up, Pascal coming atop his head as he did, as the two gazed out across the ice. Maximus made a guttural noise to tell Pascal it was no use and he languidly began to head back in the direction of the road.

Then, only then, did he see a stack of giant, white cubes... his eyes widened to twice their normal size. He and Pascal shared a couple of optimistic looks and the horse moved on up to the top one. Pascal made a sound for him to be careful, but the hungry horse threw his head back to send Pascal tumbling and happily placed his tongue to the 'sugar cube'.

That was when he discovered the reindeer on the receiving end. He narrowed his eyes and pulled on it. Sven blinked and pulled back. The two engaged in this - Sven rather clueless to Max's growing frustration - when Pascal returned to the top of his head. Maximus just glared at him. Pascal smiled widely, branished a small red bottle of hot sauce and held the spout over Max's tongue. The horse immediately remembered a time when - after the tiny lizard had stolen his last Granny Smith apple - he had stepped on Pascal, made his tongue pop out and then deliberately held it down with his other hoove while pouring a drop of the hot red stuff on his sensitive muscle. Max gulped, but the drop magically evaporated.

Pascal tried again, Max flinched, nothing happened. The lizard made an annoyed noise and tried shaking it out. The drops all turned into puffs of red. He finally turned it upside down to look into it. Drops fell into his eyes; he screeched. Finally, he looked up to see Olaf standing over him. Pascal glared with his glowing, bloodshot eyes, he and Maximus both noticed that as he held the bottle sideways, a few more drops fell out. The instant steam hit Olaf's forehead made snow drops fall out and stop the sauce from scorching.

"Are you guys playing a game?" He inquired.

"Sven!"

The reindeer started to move back and brought Maximus with him.

"Sven, you know we need to get to the top of-," Kristoff came to a skidding stop.

Maximus knew he was out of his league and bumped Eugene in the air to wake him with his rump. The fox looked up dizzily and spotted the large, lumbering man. "Hunter," He said in a quiet, urgent voice. The silver todd scampered down to Maximus's underbelly.

"All right," Kristoff smiled devilishly, "Looks like were gonna have ta saw it off." As he brandished his saw, Sven freed his tongue of the ice cube... which promptly fell on Max's feet. He made a face and released a pained whinny. The cube slipped off just as Pascal managed to slip into his mouth. He snapped Max's mouth tightly shut. "Ah, you again."

Max smiled forcefully and nodded.

"Where's your friends?" Where indeed?

Eugene looked up and patted Max's side from on the strapped saddle's buckle. All of a sudden, the horse's mouth opened as a flash of green appeared pulling on his tongue to make him 'talk'. "Uh, yes," Eugene quickly translated. "I am... alone now. Can you... uh, fine, friendly hunter, take me to where the Silver Mountain flower is, uh, I need it please."

"Are you a talking horse?"

Max snapped his mouth shut, glaring down at his muzzle. Unbeknownst to him, Pascal grabbed a hold of his pink throat ball and gave it a good yank. The horse neighed loudly.

"Yes, I'm Big-Nose-Stinky-Butt, can you take me to-?"

The horse angrily spat Pascal out and he shot across the ice past Sven and Kristoff.

"Love to," he threw a leg over his restless reindeer, "But... hey, you're the second person after the Silver flower." Eugene stayed where he was, but repeated the word, " 'Second?' "

"Yeah, right after the hooded lady. She just cut me off though, so I-,"

Eugene tuned him out, thinking fast. "If Mother Gothel lied about needing me to get the Essence of Solv, that must mean she lied about Rapunzel being dead. It's a diversion! I'll bet she's already got access to the flower somehow, by this unsuspecting numbnut, I just have to get back to Corona in time and put a stop to the witch's takeover with this thing."

He looked down at the necklace and raced over to a puzzled Kristoff.

"Do you speak too?"

"Yes, and you _need _to help me find the Silver Mountain flower before it's too late. I'm guessing the essense from that flower powers my Silver Spinner. The old lady that you spoke to is a trickster, she's up to no good Kristoff, and my pregnant wife is in danger."

Kristoff listened to him expressionlessly for a moment before holding up his saw.

"Do you know where Queen Elsa and Princess Anna are?"

"What?.! No, I know my wife attended the Queen's birthday before she began showing."

"FORE!"

"Hey, hey what are ya doin' with that?" Kristoff struck him across the ice like a puke.

"JEERRRKK!"

Maximus skidded after him while Pascal stuck his tongue out at them and then clamped his mouth shut with his hand. Kristoff shook his head vigorously as Sven closed his eyes and stuck his tongue out briefly back. The man got on his reindeer, Olaf hopped on to the back of him and they rode off for the trail that led up to Mount Arendelle with total focus.

**II.**

_In the castle of Corona..._

"Hello, dear."

Rapunzel looked up at her 'mother' weakly.

"Don't hurt him," she touched her stomach.

"But of course not," Gothel touched that same hand. "I'll need a new generation of magic, won't I?" Rapunzel's emerald eyes enlarged tenfold. "Oh, peesh! Where do you think all that 'latent magic' hogwash is from. Not you, dear, the baby. Baby, hrm, Flynn Ryder Jr.?"

The young woman was enraged. "You will NOT-,"

"Uh, bah bah," Her mother waved her finger swiftly, "I already have." She extended a hand out as the royal guard - Rapunzel's _parents' _royal guard - came in with the new decree. "If you haven't learned by now, my dear," she licked a feather pen. "Do I just initial here?" she said in an aside, "Yeah, just, right there... oh, okay." Gothel smiled calmly up at her from beneath half-moon eyes. "Mummies and Daddys do _whatever_-,"

"WHERE ARE MY PARENTS?" Rapunzel clutched weakly at her stomach. "_Oh_..."

"Locked away, forever doomed to a life of rat feces and bedrock bed sores," Gothel said as she snapped the scroll shut and handed it back to the Max's former rider. Rapunzel sent him a scathing look and he merely returned a solemn look. He bowed out of the citadel. It didn't go unnoticed by Gothel, who didn't even look. "Oh, what? You thought he _cared_ for you? Those sheep only care about whose in power. Heck, *I* care more for you than that and it was only ever for your hair, obvs." she placed her hand on her hip and bumped.

"Why are you such a monster?" Rapunzel said under her breath.

Her other mother's expression turned deadpan. "Why did you not care whether I lived or died? I didn't kill you, I wasn't actually planning too, though you _obviously _deserved it."

"You'll lock him up, won't you? You're going to kill Eugene and me and lock our son up when he's born." Gothel paused, smiliing in her knowledge of Rapunzel's true intention.

"Yes, that's right." She turned back with the same smile. It quickly vanished. "And _if _the boy or girl does not contain one iota of blonde-haired magic, I'm going to kill him, too!" it was Rapunzel's face draining of life that made Gothel smile again. "You're trapped in the same citadel your mother gave birth to you in, the same citadel I kidnapped you out of on the bottom floor. Now, you are trapped in a tower again love; at least you have company."

Rapunzel's gaunt, lifeless face was the true face of a girl who had been captive all her life.

"How's that for irony," Gothel was giddily wicked as she waggled her fingers. "Toodles."

The heavy wooden door slammed shut, locking Rapunzel into absolute darkness.

To be continued...

**A/N: **Hey, if you're likin' the story so far, why not partake in a little R and R to let the little Lavender lady know how she's doin'. ;) Thanks everyone for the attention thus far.


	6. If at first you don't succeed

**I.**

_Corona..._

The darkest spot was in Rapunzel's hollow soul. Her personal corner of starless night was one buried deep inside of her; where it had been secretly manifesting since her mother's betrayal and subsequent demise. Before she had shied away for her recently discovered demons but now she let them consume her. They seemed to whirl and swirl just outside of her buried face, taunting her, mocking her. Cruel, ghostly voices muttered nothing but said everything; she was alone, no one could help her. No one would find her. Not even...

BOOM!

"AH-ah!" Rapunzel leapt up and clutched at her still painful side to try and keep her baby inside. She reached back and fumbled with a wicker chair. The young woman sat down in it's cushioned bottom and back and listened. Her breathing was light and quiet. How she managed to pace it she guessed was due to years of practice. A minute of silence passed.

Tears steaming in her eyes, Rapunzel placed her face in her hands again.

"FWEE THE PREENSESS. FWEE THE PREENSESS." The loud chant was muffled.

Rapunzel almost wondered if it was the evil voices breaking through her black barrier.

BOOM!

"AH!" Her hands caught her fall on the flagstone floor. She sniffed as she rose, wiped her eyes and hurried to the arching wall, pressing her small ear to the cold stone intentionally.

"FREE THE PRINCESS!" Her kingdom hailed.

She stepped back and the surprise of their loyality and determination stunned her. They were doing this for _her, _it was just like when she was growing up; of course they would. Tears of a different sort reached her eyes and Rapunzel smiled. She flitted to the bed and laid down with the first real hope she'd felt in days. The guards had let her down, but her own people alweren't giving up just yet... if Eugene, Max and Pascal just got back in time.

No, if Flynn Ryder got back in time. Rapunzel knew Eugene needed quick cunning to win.

The stars were hidden but maybe her moon was still out there somewhere.

**II.**

_Arendelle..._

Morning broke over beautiful pines and grasslands filled with flowers, it shone in bright, yellow radiance over the snow-filled valleys and mountains high above the lower lands. It didn't hurt when you had a sister who could control the weather, either. But not sunny days. Anna noted to herself as she placed wild purple and white violets, a big special ice cream cake with white frosting that really looked like a snow cake- she lit the candles all by herself, thank you very much! - and, a small white tea cup full of steaming green tea.

The words _Happy Bursdag Elsa! _were written in loopy, sparkling blue.

Anna smiled hopefully, nervously, and laced her fingers together. Thinking a second, she hesistated, and then turned the crystal plate the cake was on two inches closewise before stepping back and nodding breathlessly, "Perfect!" she dubbed. No footfalls alerted her.

"Anna?"

She turned and saw a cautious Elsa peering through the curtain as if being a snoop.

"Elsa," she hid the little surprise of hers with her back, smiling perkily.

"Why are you in my room?" Her sister smiled as she walked in. "Borrowing my dresses?"

"Well, I-,"

"You know how we said no ice theme?"

"Yeah."

Elsa, dressed in a silvery white shawl and light blue dress with a rose-like purple flower in it, raised her hand and brought a sparkly white powder over Anna. Her plain strapless red dress with bright red leis and red dahlia that was also placed in her carrot-colored hair turned into a sparkly white dress (whose sparkles also fell like snow), a giant white rose and a beautiful cream snow ferret draped over her shoulders. It looked up at her, blinking.

"He'll be napping for most of the night," Elsa giggled.

"Elsa..." Anna examined herself over, wordlessly touched.

She looked up as her sister approached her. "We're just going to have a regular ball party for you, Anna." Elsa smiled and brushed her cream striped orange bangs back. "It'll have some tropical touches, but the most important thing is that this is _your _party, Anna. OK?"

Anna started to argue but as usual the goodnatured but heedless kindness in her sister's eyes stopped her. She wanted to speak out, to tell Elsa how she really felt. But, there was nothing to say. Elsa was the queen, her big sister and ultimately, the only family she had.

Why risk losing her?

Elsa's eyes were loving; there was no trace of doubt in them that suggested she saw or even comprehended Anna's growing sense of inferiority or hopelessness. "I love you."

The Queen hugged her tightly.

"Don't ever forget that," she whispered solemnly.

Anna allowed her own words to subside. What was the use? Elsa wouldn't listen.

"I love you, too." she said mechanically.

When Elsa looked at her again and smiled, she smiled back reluctantly too, and Elsa pulled her out the "door" as she glanced sadly back at her melting cake. The flowers seemed to be wilting in the partially sunlit room and the tea had stopped it's steaming.

In it was a potion Elsa would have sipped and unknowingly would never age. Anna would then drink the rest and the two would have eternity together. But now, as she unwillingly found herself being pulled out into the hall, a door seemed to slam shut.

Anna looked around, but then she remembered; no more doors were in the castle. Where had that sound come from? And why was Elsa's hand suddenly too cold? She looked over at the back of her sister's formally done-up cream hair and wondered if she'd heard it too.

...

Two silver paws touched a dark gray stone and two wide nervous golden eyes surfaced.

"Okay," Eugene whispered down to Maximus, who was hidden behind a rise of snow-layered land. "I don't see the flower... _per say. _But there seems to be this glowing, silvery source in the distance. I'm going to chance it," Max gaped as he set him back down on the ground, "You heard me. I'm going to make a mad dash for it like there's no tomorrow and get that flower so I can get back. I'll have to wish it, but we can save Rapunzel. No tricky stuff, no outfoxing anyone, " Maximus wasn't amused. "Just get it, grab it and go Max."

"Mmm?.!" Max pointed to himself.

"Of course," Eugene grinned, "We need some type of bait if it's guarded."

The horse raised his hoof to backhand him and the fox laughed, throwing his paws up and flinching back playfully, "Just kidding... just kidding." Pascal hopped atop the rock now, he had on a cute little red scarf, and made motions that something big WAS guarding it.

"Sounds serious," Eugene said when he was done. Max sent him a withering look at that. "What? I got it. Besides, we still need someone to be the bait, and if not you..." Maximus grunted when his eyes swayed to Pascal, the brave little scout and look out. "Who then?"

"Hey, guys! I just came back to find you and invite you to Princess Anna's big eighteenth BIRTHDAY PARTY! Ah, it's gonna be great. We found'em, by the way, back home in the castle. It turns out they just needed to get out for a while. But, oh BOY. You three should come. There's gonna be cake, balloons, and clowns, ponies, fire-swallowing-and-juggling half-naked dudes, tikis, tiki torches, leis, fruity drinks, pin the carrot on Olaf..."

The three comrades grinned devilishly at each other.

"Oh, boy! I've never been 'bait' before. I don't think I've ever had porkchops covered in BBQ sauce strapped to my back either." Olaf examined his backside in the open field of snow. "Hey, wait a minute. We're on top of Mount Arendelle, isn't...?" A roar bellowed.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" A giant, hairy white creature chased after him. "TROLL!"

"Whoa, a Mountain Troll." Eugene mumured. "Let's go."

Maximus stepped on his tail. He whinnyed with real concern when Eugene looked back.

"I know it's dangerous, Maxy, but we've got to get back to Corona, back to Rapunzel."

Max rippled his lips. Pascal looked down glumly.

"We don't know that she's dead," Eugene looked away bitterly.

The animals gave him sorry looks.

"There's no time for remorse or sorrow," His voice was deep as it rang with authority, "I have to take the chance and get back to my wife and child. If nothing else, to save what's left of her." he breathed hard and looked down. "You may not believe in me, but I sure-,"

Maximus nosed Eugene up onto his back, Pascal tied him up with his tongue and the big steed rushed headlong through the upside down trees to get to the silver source that sent glittery sparkles up into the air. Eugene grinned in exhileration when something dawned on him. "Pascal, your tongue pal!" His eyes widened. "And Maximus, you look just like you did before the apples disappeared in Corona." Max shot him a look. "Boy, have you really slimmed down! And just look at me... I feel five, ten years younger now, ah-hah!"

They all faced forward to the bright silver source they were rapidly approaching.

"Whoa, that flower. It's... it's something else. It's healing us without words, with no con-,"

A giant furry hand caught Maximus and lifted him up. There were no eyes. Broad pink lips parted to reveal yellowing, crooked teeth. A horrendous stench filled the entire area.

"tact," Eugene squeezed his nose, "Well, I guess it only works on those less exposed."

"Don't worry," Olaf was being sucked on by another hairy galoot. "They'll only rip out your bones, boil your skin and dance around your burning remains to appease their gods."

"I guess we're gonna miss that party, then," the fox muttered, deadpan.

The silver radiance only intensified and the trolls dropped their captives in a daze, they fell to their knees and bowed to the bright source. "Ooga, Too. Nagata Boo. Yanna Foo."

Eugene tried taking a step around them to snag the flower. "I'll just..."

"AHHHHGAH!" The yeti-like creature yelled shewoman-style, grabbed the foursome and them for all they were worth. Her male counterpart chuckled deeply. "Heh-heh-heh, fore."

They turned back to their eternal light.

...

"Today..." Elsa announced normally - but joyously - to the crowds of citizens below. "My sister has reached adulthood on this, her 18th birthday, and is now eligible for bachleors." she added in a sly aside to her sister. Anna smiled, truly appreciating the acceptance... if not inwardly breathing a sigh of relief at the permission _in _that acceptance." The Queen's eyes shined with elation for her sister as she said these next words. "Let us toast to her!"

Anna looked at her peculiar praise with a pinched face, "_Elsa_..." she quietly chastised.

Then after they a chorus of, "Here! Here!" Elsa announced it. Her eyes were deep in their meaning when she looked straight into Anna's... into her soul. A crack like ice snapped in her heart as Elsa's gaze literally froze her in place with it's tenor, far more than her powers ever had. Elsa conveyed her imminent doom in this one look. For the first time in Anna's life, she was truly powerless. Nothing she could say or do could avert this revelation now.

"My sister," Elsa's voice was no less strident, but all the more authoriative, "Will be the newly crowned Queen upon her twenty-first birthday... and Kristoff," she singled out the wide-eyed, hula-skirted blonde in the crowd. He had just closed his mouth around the open flame he was carrying. His eyes turned red and watered, "Will be the new king."

Gasps, shocked, tore through the crowd. Kristoff choked on his fire, grabbing for snow that scattered the floors: Elsa had not cleaned up like she said, she hadn't done anything.

"This tops Elsa's birthday, for sure." Someone whispered.

"Not yet, I want to see if there's a life-and-death struggle for power before night's end."

"Elsa." Anna was more vocal for the first time.

"Anna, I know this comes as a surprise, but you're well-suited..."

"But, I-,"

"Now don't interrupt. Hasn't she proven herself, everybody? Wouldn't she make an outstanding queen?" Anna gazed out unsettlingly into the rooting crowds, her mouth agape. When she looked to her left to question her dazzling, darling queen of a sister... she was gone. Everyone gaped, along with her, when they saw that Elsa had taken their momentary drift in attention from her to Anna to escape. Somehow, seeing her tiara, her sceptre and her orb laying haphazzardly on the ground confirmed the realities of her fear.

Anna met Kristoff's eyes at the same time he did hers.

They jointly acted.

"Everyone, remain calm." Kristoff told them. "We're going to consult the Queen, nobody panic." He looked at Anna, she motioned frantically for him to continue. "Uh... if you're all good. I'll, I'll let you ride Sven." The reindeer gave him a strange look, his mouth full.

Kristoff's burnt orange eyes narrowed. "Did you leave some cake for the rest of us?"

The animal's swollen cheeks bulged out even more as he opened his frosting, crum lips.

"Ah," his best friend rolled his eyes upward at the contents. "Of course, carrot cake."

"How'd we know you ain't that Hans guy in disguise?" An old geiser thumped his head with a cane. "You could be a spy, sent here to be the ruin'in of our proud little kingdom."

"Sir, I can gurantee you a hundred percent that I am not that lowbrow, underhanded..."

As Kristoff explained this, a hooded figure moved from the people and gave chase. Anna could still be seen running from the ballroom past the pushed back 'door'. The person who went after her glanced from left to right before snagging the purple-white drapes in place.

To be continued...


	7. Let it go

**I.**

_Arendelle..._

The Queen escaped to her room. She shoved the birthday-related things from her bed, the ones that she knew Anna had left her. Collasping to her knees, Elsa wept quietly. It wasn't enough; it would _never _be enough. She had tried everything these last two months in her will to get closer to Anna, as she was the only one who mattered in her life. But, she laid her cheek on her knees, no matter how many times she attempted to get close to Anna...

Elsa opened her blue eyes, rose to her feet and made her way to the balcony. Clear, white filmy drapes billowed around her as she walked to the railing. Her mind was unmade, but she still raised her hand to the clear sky to draw in a storm from the mountains, especially arduous Mount Arendelle, Elsa lowered her other hand and cropped up enormous icicles.

As her eyes focused on one large point of ice in particular, as she undid her dress bosom...

"Elsa."

A faceless form appeared in the doorway outside in the lit hall.

"Who are you? What are you doing in my bedroom?.! No one is allowed in here, GO!"

"Now why are you about to throw yourself off this balcony, piercing your heart with an icicle?" The middle-aged woman's voice was insightful, quick. She stepped into the room.

"How-How did you-?"

"Oh, I was young once. I remember when I was your age, _I_ didn't think I was beautiful..."

"That's _not_ why I'm doing this," Elsa snarled as Gothel casusally examined her reflection.

"Uh. Uh. Uh. Let me finish. When I was your age... _I_ didn't think I was... worthwhile."

Gothel's ice blue eyes pierced when she looked up, Elsa cautiously started considering.

"I didn't see the true potential I had. And you, you're just beginning to see it..."

Elsa flickered her attention to the floor, listening carefully now.

"Why end it all by taking your own life, my pet?"

From outside, Anna ducked away. "Elsa was trying to kill herself." she muttered.

They both looked up. Anna silenced.

"Hmm. There must be a draft in here. I could've sworn I heard my daughter's mumbling."

"You have a daughter?"

"Yes! Just about your sister Anna's age."

Elsa challenged her warily, tersely, "How do you know about Anna?"

"King_-dom_..." Gothel sang as she smiled knowingly.

"Oh. Then, how come I've never seen you around?"

The knowing smile deepened. "How come I've never seen *you* around?"

"Oh..." Elsa was ashamed. "I don't know. I don't know what to do anymore."

"My dear..."

"I'm at my breaking point!" The Queen screeched. "I feel like I'm endangering everyone. It doesn't matter that love melts a frozen heart, if I can't reconnect with Anna, I have to..."

"Hey, it's okay. Your sister just doesn't see you clearly, not like _I _do. You see, I gave Rapunzel *everything* she could ever ask for, but she locked me in a tower like you were locked up in this room by your supposed 'loved ones', so I-," Anna ran away from them talking in fright, knowing Elsa won't listen to her, fearing what she would hear next or, more frighteningly, what Elsa would do next. Anna loved her sister dearly, but she had to get gather her saddle, reigns and get to Kristoff and then to Idina. If Elsa was planning to kill herself, or worst, she needed to get back to that party and evacuate. Anna trembled.

It was just like last time.

Elsa looked up as the old hag explained how the Queen needed to start a reign of tyranny.

...

"AHHHHHHHH!" Mother Gothel was thrown from the balcony, hooded garmet and all.

Elsa stood grimacing, staring down in severity at the descending witch.

"YOU LITTLE BITCH!" Her eyes zeroed in on the icicle.

With a flourish, Gothel was literally blown away to the lilies and dahlias

below.

Elsa breathed steadily, glanced up fearlessly at the encroaching clouds over her kindgom and snapped the curtains shut. She placed her hand to her forehead and gave it a shake.

How could she let it *all* go?

"I've got to find, Anna, we've got to set this right once and for all."

She gathered up her azure gown and headed off to Anna's room.

...

After Anna had successfully convinced Kristoff to get everyone outside - like they needed much convincing after the last royal birthday bash - the orange-haired princess parted the purple-white curtain to her room. There was shallow breathing from behind her bookcase.

Someone waited for her to move closer, someone wanted the opprotunity to grab her...

The hooded figure watched as Anna drew closer to the vanity mirror off to the side of the room and looked up at the sad face in the glass. Hazel-green eyes watched from the deep shadows. She looked down at her splayed fingers and as she did a book appeared on top of the sturdy wooden shelf. A crooked smile broke out as Anna saw it and walked over.

A glint of silver shone as the figure pulled something from their cloak.

There was suddenly a gust of frigid wind that skirted past the curtain, rippling it up.

The figure took this distraction to stand up and hold up a long-nosed dirk when Anna looked away. But when she hesistated, the figure froze. Glancing from side-to-side in thought, his eyes focused lastingly on Anna's turned form before he stole quickly and decisively for the balcony. Anna knew what was coming; a lecture. She narrowed her eyes and pulled out the vial the hooded form had given her the previous night. As he clung to the railing outside, the figure watched with restrained pleasure as Anna was quick to uncork the tiny red glass with a golden corkscrew and despoit the solution.

His green-tinged brown widened with delighted anticapation as she licked her lips.

Nothing happened, she looked bored. The figure's teeth clenched, his nose wrinkled, when suddenly a bright flash of red filled the room. Anna's shriek was quickly muted. The figure lost his grip and fell down to land in a nearby bush. Another hooded figure came along, hissed something to him and ripped him from the foliage. They stole away.

...

"Oh... my head." Anna massaged her furry cranium. "Must've been some kind of poison."

A quick examination made her realize her vanity countertop was much too high. She gave a little gasp and looked down at her left hand. It was orange. Okay... strange. She gave the next paw an examination. Paw? Scrambling up to her mirror, she discovered the problem.

"Oh. I'm a fox, now." Her eyes bugged out of her furry face. "I'm a fox now," she clamped her muzzle shut. If someone saw her she was as good as dead. _But Elsa, she knows what it's like to be different. She'll... _"Oh wait, that's right. She won't listen." Anna spoke softly.

She looked sadly at the mirror. The girl didn't feel so much betrayed by the witch so much as foolish for having believed, Anna supposed she deserved this based on her own stupid impulses. "Immortality," she muttered spitefully. "What a load." She sighed and thought.

There was only one option, she had to get out of this castle and find help. If the castle was emptied and Elsa had chosen her own path, than Anna had to choose her own. It dawned on her then. Another animal! Maybe they could communicate with her, maybe they would even know how to locate that witch. But wait... the hooded form in Elsa's bedroom. That was the witch from the forest! That meant Elsa was in danger. Why had she been so blind to this before?.! Anna recorked the vial, retrieved a silver string from the vanity drawer by pulling it open with her needle teeth and went over to bite a whole in the tiny tan stopper.

"Oh yeah," Anna noted then, "Corks have holes..."

She slipped it through, made a lint-sized knot the best she could and slipped it over her neck. Anna had to admit, the soft orange fur added to her svelte figure and the familiar cream streak looping down her body was kind of cool, so were the teeth and claws. As she pushed all this aside, Anna hesistated at the curtains a moment, took a deep breath and then ventured out into the window-lit hall. She glanced to her left and then to her right. Anna believed she was all in the clear when she turned to scurry along the wall.

Elsa stood right beside it as if she had just had her back pressed to it.

Anna's pale blue eyes trained up and her ears pricked. Elsa was the picture of surprised.

Just when Anna thought her sister was going to shriek, the Queen reached behind herself, grasped at the air to make a current and caught something in one easy grab. Anna was still confused until Elsa held up a large wooden broom with thick bristles.

To be continued...


	8. Capers in the Kingdoms

**A/N: **Every so often, I like to do tributes to people. So this chapter is dedicated to Lillian Rose Lee, previously known as Michelle Knight, who has inspired me and many others with her resilient spirit, infectuous smile and heart-wrenching story of survival, all true.

The female protagonists, as well as many other characters in my stories, are in equal turns funny, vulrenable, deceitful, kind and adventuous, bringing out the very best and worst in each other. It is with the reminder of real, live heroes like Lillian that I continue to work and improve my craft. If I shall ever falter in my intentions, let me not write until I heal.

**I.**

_Corona..._

There was a loud thud. Rapunzel's heavy green eyes flashed up, though her head seemed to be made of lead. "Hello?" she asked much less brazenly than she felt earlier. Was it her kingdom again? Was it the guard holding them back? She stiffened, had her baby just...?

Suddenly, a shelf of white stone was shoved aside and Hookhand appeared with a latern hanging from his crook of metal. She gasped at the sight of her parents, disshevled, dirty, and alive. Smiles broke across their faces in the arc of yellow light and they quickly went to embrace each other. Several other thugs cased the joint for a few of the medical items Gothel hadn't gotten to - and a very nice bejeweled chest tucked away in the corner that hadn't been spotted - before reentering the secret passage. Rapunzel was rightfully addled.

"Well, when your abduction happened, we wanted to be sure there was some way for us to escape should you come home in peril," her mother explained gently. Rapunzel agreed.

"Let's go, then." She smiled, looking down to stroke the slight bulge on her tummy.

As the thugs started to lead them out, the stone wall was being shoved back into place.

"We can't have them following us." A deep voice said.

"Hookhand?"

The balding thug turned to her from the front. The four other men stopped and turned.

"I'm sorry, princess." He spoke solemnly in the light of the paper latern.

She knew he meant it in more ways then one. "No, I just thought that was you talking."

"Wasn't me," he told her.

"Guys?" Rapunzel questioned the thugs. They shrugged.

"No one else here but us five lovely gents, you, your ma and pa." The old drunk thug said.

"Then who...?"

Rapunzel, her mother and the thugs turned to see the king smiling in the light of the sun flower reflected from the latern. They marvelled for a moment when another thud that was much more sinister-sounding echoed from the medical ward. The king hustled the startled group down the passageway, "Hurry!" he shouted. "It exits at the rear drains."

...

The guard, Max's former rider and reappointed captain, listened from the other side.

"Quickly!"

"I'm beginnig to think horses are smarter then these people." One of his men said.

The captain rolled his eyes.

"_What_? Maybe our mute former king should have chosen a different time to speak."

"Yeah, yeah, and remember when Queen Gothel said Rapunzel announced her intentions before turning to leave the tower after she _just _found out she was the missing princess...?"

"I sure do, and-,"

"GO!" The captain screeched his order.

**II.**

_Arendelle..._

Flynn the fox peered above the thick stone walls of the moot he had swam across to survey the area. It was a castle. So what? He lived in one. The drenched animal slipped right over the edge. He shook his silver fur out and marvelled at the black undertones of his thick pelt. His dark golden eyes closed in resigned fascination before opening them to take in the big, multi-hued brick castle with the forest-green turrents covertly. Well, a bit.

_Rapunzel's is still bigger, _he mused.

The guards here didn't seem to be much of a competition, no more than Corona's. Eugene snuck past the first row dressed in thick, dark green velveteen coats. They didn't so much as sneak him a glance as he moved steathily along on his furry belly toward the elongated bridge that would lead to the castle. _Huh,_ Eugene noted, _There's no draw bridge... there's no doors. _"Just large curtain with a snowflake on it." He said aloud, sticking his neck up.

"Did you say something?" One of the guards asked.

Clenching his needle teeth shut, he scurried over to the tall entrance.

Just then, Maximus plunged over the edge soaking wet. His nostrils blew water out like two pumps and his mane fell over his neck in crimped cascades, as his muscular frame was pumping air in and out of his huge lungs. Max then looked anxiously for Pascal. He held up his tail and discovered the little lizard hanging limply. Concerned, he brought him over laying securely in his hoof crevice and examined him over. Pressing his broad lips together, he used his right hoof tip to press lightly on his chest. Water spouted out but his tongue ejected out and stuck to Max's forehead. They looked at each other and then up.

"Whoa," a guard came closer. They looked at him. "What'd you supposed it is?"

"A unicorn?"

His fellow guard thumped him on the head. "No! Don't be ridiculous, it's just a regular horse with a... thing-a-majigger attached to it." He plucked up Pascal to look him over closer. "Obviously, Christian, this horse was imported. See!" he pointed to the mountain range topped with moss over to the farthest side of visible region. "There must be a cargo ship out there, they threw the darn thing overboard because they were fearful after hearing our recent exploits and then turned around." he was quite proud. "And he's clearly mine."

"What, why?.!"

"The Queen and Princess _have _horses. I'm the only one in the guard who hasn't gotten a new horse. And look," he pointed to Max's 'Maximus' medallion. "I'm Maximilian, so..."

"It's just a coincedence! That's a variant spelling, like Elsa could be Elsie, or Lisa..."

"What are you two mumbling about?" The captian came over. Max sniffed at his pocket hungrily and he smiled at the horse, digging a handful of sugar cubes out and letting the huge steed lap them up. "Take this horse to the stables. We need to make arrangements and hold conference so that we can discuss future preparations for Princess Anna." The men grabbed a hold of Maximus and started to lead him to the stables as per directed.

"What about the green frog, sir?"

"We could give it to Princess Anna, she's loves things like this!" Christian exclaimed.

"No, if the horse is from our imports, it could be diseased. Just toss it in the furance after your done with the horse." Pascal's pupils eclipsed his entire eye sockets as this was said.

"PASCAL!" Eugene yelled. He couldn't lose him, too.

Max whinnyed at him and he hopped out of the man's gloved hands into the moot as he became distracted. Maximus then turned to Eugene and nodded him in where he stood.

Eugene folded his ears back, trying not to let hopelessness weigh him down, and went in.

...

"ELLSSSAAAAAAAAAA!"

Anna sprinted down the long hall.

The Queen chased after her, swinging the broom around like a hockey stick.

When the fox curled around as she was trapped, she remembered the witch talking about Elsa piercing her chest with an icicle. She remembered the wolf becoming impaled just the other night, she remembered the snowball pegging her chest, she remembered Elsa had struck her twice before, once by accident and than once not quite as accidentally...

"Anna?" The broom dropped from her hands and clattered to the carpeted wooden floor.

Anna remembered icicles rising in the ballroom, edging closer to her. The door was finally open. Her eyes widened on the fallen broom and than she looked up into her sister's own. A jolt of shock shot through her. She realized Elsa was a total stranger.

"Anna," Elsa lowered down and reached her hand out. Anna shrunk back.

"No." She turned her head away and breathed hard. "Just go away. Go back to that old, horrible room of yours and ice it over or something. I heard you and the witch. I _heard_ you, Elsa!" Anna had tears in her eyes. "The witch tricked me, too, but I thought you of all people were smarter than that!" Elsa listened quietly. "So just leave me here, and go."

"First of all, the guards are on full alert. She's not getting back into this castle. Secondly," Elsa picked Anna up her in arms and held her close. The fox cuddled into the hollow of her neck. "We need to sneak back out and find her." Anna's eyes flashed open. Elsa was adamant, a smile slowly slid across her face. "The only question is, how will we do it?"

"You mean, you're not mad?" Anna asked as Elsa sat her down.

"No," she said gently. "After all I've put you through, I don't doubt your rebellion."

"I know, and-,"

"But a _fox!?_" Elsa was good-naturedly bemused. "Anna, of all the silly contrivances!" She clasped her hands and looked away. "I knew you were listening, I have a lot of practice with listening for you." Her smile was meaningful. Anna smiled too. Things now became serious. "I had a feeling she'd already gotten to you. I'm going to take you with me and the two of us are going to track her down," Anna tried to interrupt. "And before the day's end, you're going to be human again." Her sister's muzzle bowed. "Are we in agreement, An?"

"Yes, Elsa."

Things were still not settled.

"I wasn't going to harm myself, Anna, I was just thinking about..." she sighed. The two met eyes. "You don't have to be queen if you don't want to be, I'm not going anywhere."

That helped a little.

Anna perked up and leapt onto Elsa's shoulders, encircling her neck.

"How's this?" she inquired.

Elsa picked her back up and took her into her room. "I'm thinking more along the lines of this," She pointed at a silver coiled mannequin. Anna opened her mouth to complain."I'm sorry for the last failed attempts to bond with you, but it's time you learn that you have to learn lessons for the mistakes you make." Elsa picked the light metal frame up. "Now, I'm going to unfurl this, fashion into something useful and you need to get rigamortis down."

Anna gave her a narrowed-eyed look in the arch of sun coming through her balcony.

Her sister smiled and flicked a small ball of snow at her nose.

"Hey!"

Elsa flicked another one. "Two for flinching." Anna smiled and rubbed her snout.

"Elsa..."

"Now come on," her sister collected her in her other arm, "We have no time to waste."

The Queen spirited the mannequin and fox off to her bedroom.

...

Just as clouds fully settled over the kingdom, Eugene's silver head popped up in the curtain-framed doorway. Twitching his head side-to-side craftily, the fox slid inside. Eugene had been tearing this whole castle apart for a shred of evidence, but there had been no volumes of Essense of Solv, or Silver Flower in the library, the Queen's room, what he assumed was the deceased royals' room, or any room for that matter. He knew that this was his last shot. Eugene crept along the wooden floor when something caught his eye. It was a dark blue binded book. He scrunched the base of his muzzle up before leaping up to the dresser's top. Eugene picked it up and flipped it over to the very front.

There was nothing.

"Well that's it," he commented, "that's every book that might have told me how to get past those trolls and save my wife's life, _if _she's still alive." Eugene started to move away when his tail hit a small brown leather pouch and a silver powder cascaded over the cover. He turned then and watched with wide eyes as a beautiful silver flower sparkled over the top.

It was almost too pretty to pick up...

Eugene gripped the binding in his mouth with determined eyes and fled for the balcony.

To be continued...


	9. A silver lining: Pt 1 of 2

**I.**

Maximus looked around curiously as the stable hands worked meticulously to clean the dark green and while wooden boxes around him. He briefly wondered if they were going to put him through some rigorous training when the sack feed came over his muzzle and his angel hair mane was being brushed out. Well, he thought contendedly to himself as he glanced over to some pretty little fillies next to him. He supposed Flynn and Pascal would be just fine without him for a few... hours; two people were massaging his big, broad neck.

"All right, fella," Steam rose as a heated rod of iron disappeared into a rusted old pale. The captain shook his hat-fitted head. "Whoa, big fella. " Maximus shot him a look at that. "It'll all be over with soon." The complacent horse glanced up causually as the red-hot branding iron was raised over his rear end. In a jolt of realization, Max whinnyed. He was too late...

_Ka-THUNK!_

Pascal stood on the stable's wooden border and flipped the iron skillet expertly up in the air, catching it with his tongue. The captain looked up at the lizard he had so dismissively sent away to be burned alive in a furnace before his eyes rolled into the back of his head.

Max and Pascal shared a look before the lizard pushed the heavy chunk of iron into the molten dip, the horse pulled down the man's pants and Pascal then dipped it into the pale of water; though he didn't have to. The guard gained just enough alertness to see that the horse had the red-hot skillet between his deviously grinning teeth. Pascal smacked his fist and Max fried the captain's fanny. "YOOOOWWWWW!" The two made a hasty getaway.

...

"I never liked books..." Eugene explained as he opened this one.

The horse and iguana looked at each other.

"Okay, okay, so I have a whole library at home." He grinned.

They were crouched over the midnight blue book that he had stolen between some trees.

The fox leafed through the pages. They were written in a language Eugene could scarcely even make out. "I think it's... Puerto Rican?" Maximus rolled his eyes and hooved it up.

His lips flapped as he read through it quickly and assimilatied it even more so.

"Hey, it just occured to me, if I'm an animal why can't I understand you guys talking?"

Maximus rolled his eyes again at that and drew in the thin layer of new snow what had to be the most important message: _I don't comprehend this particular dialect, _Eugene was fuming, he was positively shaking with anger and self-loathing. Pascal's eyes grew wide.

Even Max took a step back and moved his lizard friend out of Eugene's way.

"It's HOPELESS!" The fox cried. "Look at me! What is an ANIMAL capable of, anyway?!"

Max's eyes narrowed.

"Oh, don't look at me like that, you stupid horse!"

Pascal blanched.

"She's dead, Pascal, DEAD! I can't even approach someone that's not a diease-ridden flea bag without them trying to kill me except for that worthless snowman. Oh sure, when I was human and no one to live for then that made the stakes a little less. And those trolls! I can't believe we thought we could get by them! All I have are stupid animals for friends and when you guys die, that's it! Rapunzel is gone, my child is... _gah_-," his words choked.

Maximus touched his shoulder as Eugene cried softly.

"Now I know how the king and queen felt," the fox looked up, smiling miserably.

The horse was solemn, his duty came before his feelings even as he comforted Eugene.

Both turned to walk away.

Pascal watched after them with concern before scurrying up to the book. He drew in a breath and with the exhale came a gust of residual silver glitter that flew over the pages. The lizard watched excitedly as a single phrase glowed and he raced back to the others.

Maximus and Eugene had their head bowed in grief when they saw the lizard whiz by.

"Pascal?" The fox was gentler when he said his name this time.

As the little green animal wrote the words in their native tongue, the light returned to Eugene's dark amber eyes. Max's jaw dropped in amazement and than he turned rather smugly to Eugene. The fox grinned sheepishly. Pascal sat up proudly, his butt sparkled.

In elegant, silver script were the words:

_'Cold as once was the heart of ice, now is the wrath of lover's vice. Restore _

_thine warmth lost in fading gold, now with the silver floral that I hold.'_

Eugene blinked after a moment."Gonna take a wild guess here; we need to go back to the flower and repeat this spell just like Rapunzel use too." Pascal nodded in the affirmative.

Max picked up the two before Eugene could apologize.

"Y''know I'm gonna have to apologize-,"

Pascal wrapped his tongue around Eugene's mouth and Max whinnyed a strident laugh.

They turned around and headed back for Mount Arendelle.

...

Anna glowered as she was carried out on a silver snare - it was tied in such a way to her that she was more cradled than caught - but the momentum a grimly smiling Elsa gave the illusion made it appear that she was definitely teethered. Christian blinked quickly.

"Good evening, your majesty. My! That certainly is a big rat..."

The princess clenched her teeth together.

Elsa was the picture of repose, "It certainly is," she agreed faintly. "Back to your post."

Her Dodger blue eyes shifted easily back at him and she held her head high. Elsa was dressed in her regular dark turquoise, cashmere wool dress and dark pink plum shawl. Though the weather was going to be fierce, she knew that she wouldn't have to protect her little sister from the elements... after all, she was a fox. Elsa moved around the corner of one of the huge trees leading into the freshly snow-fallen hinterland and looked up a little curiously; no one was coming to stop her, especially not the two bickering bridge guards.

Sighing very softly, Elsa shook her head and tossed her eyes in a roll. She set Anna down and unbinded her. Her assertion was gentle but firm, "Now listen, the last time you were out here in a blizzard you had Kristoff. We're going to take it real nice and slow, Anna."

The orange fox gave her a withering look.

Elsa's own expression was surprised. She softened her approach. "I wish you wouldn't look at me like that." So Anna looked away instead, Elsa powered through her speech. "No sidetrips, no goofing off, no nothing, Anna. We're not racing either so that we do a thorough sweep of the forest and mountaintop." This caught Anna's immediate attention.

"Mom and Dad forebade us when we were children from ever going up there."

"Yes," A hint of slyness appeared on Elsa's face, "And now _I'm _in charge."

Anna forgot her dour mood, reacting seriously for once. "Elsa! Are you completely off your throne!? Mom and Dad forebade the top of Mount Arendelle _for a reason._" Anna's astute history lessons were paying off, at least in her mind. "Trolls guard it up there; real, fierce mountain trolls who wouldn't think twice about ripping us apart. Just think about it, El." For once, Elsa seemed to do just that. "They will outright kill us just for trespassing."

The Queen looked sideways thoughtfully.

Her sister continued on excitedly. Finally! Elsa was *listening*. "They're as protective of their Essense of Solv as we are of each other, that's why our parents never risked having our guard retrieve it; there would be less of them to protect us if they were systematically slain. That's why we need to go to _our _troll friends, they could help! Or talk to Kristoff."

"I think our 'troll friends' have done enough," Elsa said with unconcealed bitterness. "And you have to stay away from Kristoff, Anna." Her ears fell back, her eyes widened. "It's for your own good as well as his, what is the first thing he's going to do when he sees you?"

"He'll listen," Anna said fatefully.

"No, he'll kill you." Elsa corrected with her eyes locked sternly into Anna's. Though Anna knew that Elsa's heart was in the right place, though she knew her sister's intentions were never to hurt her, though she knew Elsa was truly the one who was like a trapped animal, somehow Anna felt like Elsa was going to kill her in a much more psychological manner.

That is, if Elsa didn't kill herself trying to be the perfect sister in the process.

The Queen picked up her wordless sister, "Come on," she said quietly, and walked away.

...

"As promised," Gothel laid the necklace across Hans's hand and watched with leery but well-practiced eyes as he inhaled the glistening powder from the Silver Spinner's small core compartment. She went over to sit on a snow-covered log and casually leaned back against the fallen tree's enormous stump, body sprawled and eyes amused as he quickly mumbled the Essense of Solv's haiku. It was absolutely hilarous to her that they thought she actually *needed* this ridiclous flower; Rapunzel's next blood would suit her finely.

"_What a rush_..." Hans exhaled with a breathless smile.

The unhooded woman's good humor vanished. "Whatever," she spat. "You got your first half of the deal... for the last month and a half. It's time to make good on your second half of the bargain." The man's smile grew cruelly delighted at the prospect of torturing some pretty, helpless young woman. "Oh-ho, quite the sadistic, aren't we?" she prompted him.

He sighed. "It comes with the territory, Mother."

Gothel's laugh sparkled in appreciative delight. Finally! Someone who got her sense of humor. "So it does, so it does. Your performance here in Arendelle was quite popular."

"On this side of the globe, one can only wonder what lies beyond it..."

"Head out of the clouds," Gothel's words were still controlled but abrupt. "We must'nt dilly-dally if were going to build this stranglehold over our pawns' collective psyches."

"Hmm." Hans tossed the necklace in the air recklessly and caught it.

He levelled Gothel with a sneaky look, she leered back just as fortuitously.

"Should the pawns fall in fortune's favor..."

"You'll end me," she smiled wickedly. "_Permenately._"

Hans smiled. It was refreshing to have one person finally know the stakes for once, if not at times annoying. "I don't know why you're so hellbent on _this _being part of your other half of the bargain." Which was, having limitless access to further traumatize Rapunzel in this whole charade. "The cretin doesn't even _know _me. What are the stakes, Mother?" she waved a finger slowly at him. "Right, and you love torturing _my _victims. Makes sense..."

"Can't you just have a little fun with this?"

He was unsuspecting but clear in his admission. "Truly, not in the long run. I have bigger ambitions." His cruel smile returned as he pulled out an extracted Rapunzel hair. "Funny this should only work correctly when you use the material of the person or place that you wish to visit, I can only imagine the cruel irony that your poor Flynn is going through..."

As he vanished in a flash of silver, the words '_cruel irony' _were very much apparent on Gothel's smirking lips. She sighed and went about brewing tea; tonight would be chilly.

To be continued...

**A/N: **We're nearing the end game; three more chapters, and the stakes are only going to rise. Be sure to leave a little acknowledgment for your hardworkin' writin' girl. Pwease? ;)

Thnx!

~ Lavenderpaw ~


	10. A silver lining: Pt 2 of 2

**I.**

Elsa looked over at Anna munching noisily on her meal of mice. The roaring flames of the campfire was an odd contrast to the sun still very prevalent as it arched over the trees. In the mountain range around the base of Mount Arendelle, the clouds had turned a soft, fluffy white as the darker ones had moved down to storm on the kingdom and whatever occupants were left guarding it. There wasn't an imperative reason why they stopped, except that neither had eaten all day, Elsa smiled wryly as she watched her sister finish her rather clean disemboweling before moving on to chewing on the mouse's brains. She turned the long metal rod of her meal once more and pulled it out to blow on it in the center of the spigot; this was the remains of the metal mannequin. Elsa caught Anna looking at her, though there was only brief awkwardness.

Anna was cautiously humorous. "So, Kristoff's rubbing off on you, huh?"

Her sister took a large, unladylike bite of the steaming, succulent rodent.

The red fox winced a little.

This made the Queen smile knowingly. "Well, someone finally got their good humor back."

"Elsa... I'm sorry."

Her sister's smile wavered and she sighed. "Yes, I'm sorry, too. I know I haven't had a whole lot of practice with this sister thing." she poured herself some tea from a clear ice teapot, it was quickly melting. "But if we both gave each other the benefit of our experiences, than we could-,"

"Wait, Elsa." Anna's ears pricked up. "Have you seen my red vial?" she looked down at herself.

She had completely forgotten it and in the encircling clouds of late day her fur was darkening.

"Oh, the vial? I thought it was from some of your tea plant extracts..." Elsa innocently held it up to show Anna. The woman's rare guilelessness would have been cute, but the younger woman knew immediately what was wrong. She knew that this way very wrong. "Anna, are you okay?"

"No..." Her furry face was struck in horror.

Elsa's eyes widened in the realization that they were in a much direr situation then first thought.

In a brilliant flash of silver, a beautiful, white fox the color of silky french vanilla appeared in front of a befuddled Anna. Even though Anna was not the vain sort, she still experienced a twinge of jealousy. She stared at her sister and watched as Elsa started to grimace slowly.

As Elsa examined her luscious, lovely pelt, Anna smiled nervously. "Well, look at it this way, Elsa. At least now we'll have plenty of things to talk about while we're looking for a cute." The fox sister returned a look like splintering ice; It was actually quite unintentionally comical to see.

Wordlessly, Elsa chased after the other vixen in vexation.

**II.**

_Corona..._

He stopped at the front of the heavy wooden door. Hans had done many crafty, nefarious and underhanded things, especially in the last several months. Now he was about to go in to act as co-captor and make sure Gothel's victim knew her place. Sometimes he wished he care more; Hans allowed a crooked smile to turn up one side of his face, this wish didn't happen very often.

"Well. well," he unfettered the thick locks and pushed the door aside, "You-,"

"Don't..." A voice said from behind him. "Move."

His hazel eyes bugged out, but he quickly regained his composure.

"I think you're making a big mistake, Rapunzel, what would your mother think?"

He turned with a revival of shock to see the guard was apprehended by thugs... and peasants.

"This... this cannot happen. No, not again! I WILL not be imprisoned again."

"Well, ya seem to be imprisoned in yer own psyche like a never-endin' race for reason."

Hans recoiled at the strange bearded man.

"You're all insane!" he continued to rant. "Do not think for one second I cannot take all on!"

The prince brandished his sword.

But as the number of peasants swelled, as Hans looked down at his 'valiant' pose, he stopped.

Hs surrendered.

There was nothing honorable enough left in his life worth fighting for, not even himself.

**III.**

_Arendelle..._

Anna scurried around the trees in a hurry as Elsa chased after her in a weave-and-bob manuver.

"Elsa, I... I tried to tell you! I mean, I wanted to tell you but it was too late."

"ANNA!"

The two ended up closing the distance between the base of Mt. Arendelle and the forest, this being the only reason why Anna had allowed a late lunch. It was quickly escalating into a more serious matter then the semi-silly romp from before. Anna was fairly sure Elsa had no powers.

However, the white fox's mounting concerns stymied her stammering apologies.

"Anna, how am I going to protect you!? Why you do you always have to be so foolish!?"

"I didn't mean to turn us into foxes, Elsa. I'm not _that _stupid!"

"Then why? And don't call yourself 'stupid'."

"I thought the potion was for immorality." Elsa's ears dropped and her jaw popped open, that's when Anna remembered her eavsdropping on the conversation with the witch; the wicked lady's cruel insinutation that Elsa was so depressed that she'd actually end herself. "I thought we could have more time to get closer, we could finally get back what we missed in our childhood, Elsa."

Anna's head dropped. It didn't even really matter now that Elsa was listening.

"You know I would never hurt myself, Anna," Elsa told her in a clear, precise voice.

The red fox didn't looked back up. "I know."

Suddenly, a spark of snow hit her nose.

"Hey!"

Another one hit her.

"Two for flinching!" Elsa grinned at her, which looked positively devilish on her foxy face.

Anna shook her fur out and opened her mouth wide before turning it up at the corners in joyful realization. Elsa was still smug in her approach. The orange-colored fox laughed, beaming, and took off towards the mountain. Elsa, forgetting her duties, joined Anna in a more happy romp.

She followered her, for once, instead of the other way around. And for once, Elsa had listened.


End file.
